Tolly
by adalie
Summary: Harry decides to buy Ginny a cat after an affectionate evening with Crookshanks. A collection of one-shots spanning right after the Battle of Hogwarts to nineteen years later, featuring said cat.
1. The Impulse

The incandescent glow of the fireplace radiated a mellow ambience upon the sitting room; the flickering flames were reflected in Ginny's blazing hair, giving the impression it was on fire. She was curled in one of the beanbags by the grate at Ron and Hermione's flat, quite comfortable, while Crookshanks was nestled in her lap, purring contently. Every once in a while he would raise his head and meow indignantly, wondering why his ear scratches had stopped. Upon said cry, Ginny would return to her absent-minded fondling of Crookshanks' matted ginger fur. She was barely listening to the animated conversation taking place beside her, and she did not notice when her brother, Ron refilled her glass of elf-made wine.

"You okay?" he murmured, stretching across to her with the dusty bottle. Ginny jerked her head up, startled. She had begun to drift off.

"Oh yeah," she said groggily, "Gwenog made us do endurance laps at training today."

"I'm surprised you're still awake then, Gin," Harry chuckled from his beanbag (they had been forbidden by Ron to sit together), his conversation with Hermione ceasing as they turned their attention to her. She smiled weakly back at him, summoning all the attention she could muster. Harry, expecting her trademark wink, frowned and tried to kickstart the conversation back into action so he could silently converse with her.

"So I heard Neville and Hannah eloped in Australia?" He smirked as he received the expected reactions.

"What?" Ron spluttered, slopping his wine onto his own assorted cushions. Hermione tutted good-naturedly and vanished the mess with a flick of her wand. "Neville got hitched before me? _Neville_?"

"Oh, Ronald," Hermione sighed, and she leant closer into him, quick to remove his wine before he gulped it down in disbelief. Harry smirked and tried to catch Ginny's eye silently. This was surprisingly difficult in her dazed stupor; she seemed unable to look at anything but the flames, mesmerised by the patterns which must have been far prettier in her sleep deprived state. Finally, she turned towards him, her bright brown gaze caught in his.

He beckoned to her, indicating his own beanbag. Ginny glanced at Hermione and Ron, who were fiercely intertwined and stifled a giggle. Then, ignoring the duo and Crookshanks' irritated mews as he was pushed off her lap, she crawled across to Harry's side, snuggling into his chest. He wrapped his arm round her protectively, and took a strand of her flaming locks he loved so much, twining it around his fingers, wishing he had mastered the knack of conjuring blankets.

There was a sound like a plug being pulled as Ron surfaced abruptly to glare at his best friend.

"You said no PDA!"

"That was before you turned the evening into a snogging session," Harry retorted slyly. Hermione had the decency to blush a deep rouge, while Ron gave the impression he was smoking at the ears.

"So how did you know about Neville, Harry?" Hermione asked timidly.

"Oh yeah, sorry mate, I forgot to tell you Neville's joining the Auror department."

Ron reached for the bottle of elf-made wine.

"Blimey, he's really been getting on," Ron mumbled, and lifted the wine to his lips. " _Neville_ ," he repeated over and over in a drunken mantra of incredulity. Hermione took the bottle and had a swig herself. She offered it to Harry, who shook his head and indicated his full glass beside the beanbag.

"I have to apparate back as well."

Hermione shrugged and swiftly took a swill of the wine. Soon, Harry presumed, they would be thrashing like eels, especially after the amount of alcohol they had practically inhaled. He turned his head to Ginny, who had fallen asleep against him. Every time he looked at her he felt as though he could never fully appreciate her beauty. Her hair seemed to radiate a glow of its own, though more subdued than usual under the lustre of the fire. She had a smattering of freckles that seemed to dance across her nose; Harry could count each one.

His admiring contemplation was interrupted by a wet something pushing demandingly at his hand. Crookshanks. But he had not come for Harry's affection. He promptly managed to squeeze between Harry and Ginny, thoroughly on edge as he stepped onto the beanbag, his paw sinking into it.

Ginny stirred, and fumbled with his fur fondly. Harry looked down at the ginger cat. With a great pang in his chest, he gently rubbed Ginny's arm and stood up sluggishly. She held a hand up to him, her eyes still closed. He took it and pulled her up, not letting go when she was standing. She leant against him ever so gently, smelling enticingly of wine and the outdoors.

Harry looked down at his two best friends who were, as he had predicted, passionately interlocked. The assembled pillows they had been sitting on where dispersed over slightly more territory and both Ron and Hermione's hands were _not_ wrapped around the other's necks. He cleared his throat loudly but received only a rude hand gesture from Ron in response. Ginny rolled her eyes and led him to the front door, her heart heavy as she tried to ignore Crookshanks' pleading mews.

As they left, Harry had the distinct feeling he would not want to sit on those cushions next weekend, and the impulse to buy Ginny her very own cat.

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 **A/N - please review!**


	2. The Address

With a triumphant smirk, Molly Weasley placed the last of her gifts under the tree. She had outdone herself this year: the fairy lights were plastered all around the sitting room (which had been magically expanded) before finally wrapping themselves tightly around the tree, and the enticing aroma of juicy turkey from the kitchen had now settled upon the room. Arthur had flumped onto the sofa, his mouth open ever so slightly as he feigned snoring, having conveniently 'fallen asleep' the moment Molly had started wrapping presents. The hum of Celestine Warbeck's Christmas album and her husband's snores almost drowned out the bangs and crashes the ghoul was making upstairs. Well, he would be happy when the house was full in an hour or so, Molly sighed, and returned to the kitchen to check the potatoes. She had barely reached down to the oven when a voice called from the backdoor.

"Hullo?" A thin face with horn-rimmed glasses peeked out over the stable door.

"Percy!" Molly exclaimed, and she threw herself at her son. He opened the rest of the door, careful to not let the winter air in for too long. He lifted up a bag of presents with a quizzical look on his face, then marched into the house to put his own gifts under the Christmas tree. Molly hadn't noticed the unfamiliar nervous woman behind him when she had first hugged Percy, but she turned to her all the same, arms stretched wide. The woman stepped into them oddly, teetering on the edge of hysteria and anxiety, but Molly could feel her relax in her arms. The woman pulled away, her mouth open to speak when they heard Percy swearing loudly from the living room.

"Oh, Mother, this is Audrey!" he explained, dashing back in, "I told Dad about her at work, but he clearly didn't tell you…" Molly's lips had formed a thin line.

"No, no he did not. Excuse me, would you?"

Percy and Audrey heard the snoring from next door come to an abrupt end, followed by Mrs Weasley's shrill voice demanding why she had not heard of this 'Audrey' before she had come to spend Christmas with them.

Percy looked back at Audrey, whose face had fallen.

"They hate me already," she said miserably. Percy shook his head and smiled at her.

"No, she just didn't know to knit you an infamous Weasley jumper, I suppose that is why she is annoyed. C'mere." Audrey did not hesitate to lean into him, and he rubbed her back to soothe her.

Their brief moment was interrupted by a loud crack from the garden, and then a second, quieter pop; someone - or two - had just apparated. Percy waved at his sister and her boyfriend as they walked towards the house hand in hand. Both Harry and Ginny had heard of Audrey via Ron, and after a quick round of greetings, the four walked into the living room. They were welcomed by the sight of Bill, a tall, rather handsome man spinning into the fireplace in a whirlwind of emerald flames. He sported long, red hair which was tied loosely in a ponytail, and an earring from which a fang dangled. Mrs Weasley leapt up to hug him, while Mr Weasley, looking thoroughly sheepish, stretched and walked over to Audrey, shaking her hand while apologising to Percy for not mentioning her to Mrs Weasley sooner.

Harry slipped round them with his own bag of presents and knelt down to the ever-growing pile under the bright tree. As he transferred them, he fumbled with an envelope and grinned. His present to Ginny.

"Harry! Merry Christmas!" Mrs Weasley cried upon spotting him, and she squeezed him tightly. Harry beamed at her, but she did not see, having moved swiftly to the fireplace, greeting Fleur who had just appeared, like Bill, in a rush of jade flames. In her arms she cradled a baby, who began to screech in indignation, adding to the hustle and bustle of the already excited sitting room. Bill took his daughter off his wife, and sank into an armchair, bouncing her on his knee.

Fleur glided over to Harry and kissed him on both cheeks. "'Arry, joyeux Noël! Ah and Ginny too!" Ginny permitted Fleur to air kiss her, before taking Harry's hand and collapsing onto a much worn sofa.

"Bah, eet is zis singer again," Fleur said loudly, causing Mrs Weasley to shoot a dirty look at her.

"Fleur, dear, would you mind getting the canapés from the kitchen?" she said airily, and the room immediately quietened. Fleur flounced off, and everyone else settled themselves down, greetings ceasing.

Fleur returned with George in tow. Ginny was quick to notice her mother's pained expression when he waved at her, his magenta hair looking more purple under the fairy lights. He did a quick round of the sitting room, shaking Audrey's hand profusely when he reached her, before sitting down by the presents. Fleur glided up to Mrs Weasley and offered her the tray of smoked salmon blinis. She took one and muttered her thanks, passing the tray around the room. Fleur perched on the edge of Bill's armchair, where Victoire was playing peek-a-boo with her father.

"Where are Charlie and Ron?" George said into the tense air, to nobody in particular.

"Oh, Charlie's staying in Romania this Christmas, and Ron will be a little late, I believe, because he is dropping Hermione off with her parents." Arthur replied cheerfully, attempting to lighten the mood.

"So presents before or after lunch?" asked Bill, with a blini in his mouth. Both Fleur and Mrs Weasley scowled at him.

"Whenever Ron gets here," Mrs Weasley said, finally sitting down beside Arthur. This turned out to be a jolly good thing too, because seconds later Ron appeared in her place with a loud _crack_ , setting Victoire off. However, her cries were barely audible above the scramble for presents.

Ginny had practically nose-dived into the pile, scrambling until she discovered something with her name on and surfacing with a triumphant "aha!" until she caught Harry's eye and hastily retreated back to the sofa. Exclamations and choruses of thanks echoed around the room as myriad gifts were unwrapped. Harry felt his stomach flip-flop when he saw his golden envelope in Ginny's hand as she sat down beside him. What if she didn't like it? His frantic doubts were interrupted by a present being thrusted into his arms by Ginny. He tore off the wrapping to reveal a dark green fabric. Upon holding it up, he realised it was a pair of boxers, with the golden logo of the Holyhead Harpies embroidered onto one cheek. He looked at Ginny, who returned his smirk with a wink.

"Now open mine," he told her, more relaxed after her gift of underwear. Her face fell as she took the card out. Harry swore loudly, causing Bill and Fleur to shoot daggers at him, but Victoire and her parents were the least of his worries. She didn't like it.

"An address?" Ginny protested, "you can't give me even _one_ clue? That's so unfair!"

Harry let out a breath he was unaware of holding and cupped her head in his hands, leaning in…

"NOPE!" George bellowed, shoving two orange parcels between them. Ginny glared at him, but unwrapped her present all the same. They had both been given a large stock of the most recent _Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes_ produce, and the presents wouldn't stop coming after that.

By the time lunch came, the threadbare carpet was indiscernible and everyone bar Audrey was clad in Weasley sweaters.

"Hurry up, Harry!" Ginny complained, shoving mashed turnips in her mouth, "I wanna go to the mysterious address and get my Christmas present!"

"I have never heard you sound more like a child, Gin," Harry retorted, pointedly chewing his turkey. She scowled at him, but the moment he had finished his plate, Ginny leapt up and grabbed his arm.

"Let's go! Mum?"

Mrs Weasley nodded her head in assent, and Harry was marched out to the garden. Then, with a barely audible _pop_ , the duo spun into thin air.

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 **A/N - I know this isn't as cat-related but I thought it was cute anyway. Also, please review (motivation and all that)!**


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